I vote for the collection photos too, but with the moving heir in the photo too.
In regards to starting funds, I agree with 4k for the founders of the first neighborhood, and with 4k for the new neighborhoods, post-house purchase. Look at it kind of like the family being left behind is acquiring this one last gift for the new founder. Most new neighborhoods also tend to have the most expensive houses already occupied anyway, right? So no moving Heir 4 from Riverview into the Altos' residence, for example.
If we aren't looking at collection values, how about making it part of the rules that the collections must be maintained off the household lot? (Private lots did come with the IP patch, right? My memory fails me this morning.)
Hmm, another thought is, why not take a photo of each couple (the "take romantic picture" option with the smart phone) or each family (photobooth that came with Showtime or the other one with Seasons), and those pictures have to travel with the heirs? So that generation 16 would also pose with a gallery of the previous generations? It'd be a nice continuity touch.